I believe any half decent and properly installed BB will last years with no problems. Loads of grease and the right tightness are key, irrespective of manufacturer. From experience I have a c1990 steel road bike with the original shimano exage bb still running smooth enough, only ever been re greased (I think). Also a 2008 race face bb still running without fault and they have been panned for reliability. That’s 23 years and 5 years on those two without fault so I see no need in paying over and above shimano pricing. I would spend money elsewhere.

Put new deore in when I built the bike at the end of may last year. Lasted until early August. Replaced with saint after reading good reviews. It died in early May. I now have a CK. It creaked on the first ride. 🙁

Overtightening only applies to shimano ht2. You can’t overtighten a sram crankset, you just shear the head off the 12 quid retaining bolt. 😮

bonesetter – Member

How long has your Gusset lasted – what sort of use?

mine has lasted a whole month so far, so… 400km of commuting.

in my experience: shimano BB’s die as a result of dirt and water getting past the outer seals, so better seals should = longer life, and the Gusset ext24 is VERY well shielded and sealed.

water in the seattube/BB shell is a myth imho, even shimano bearings are very well sealed against water from this side.

Gusset’s still looking favourite then…

I believe any half decent and properly installed BB will last years with no problems.

You clearly never used one of Shimano’s first generation HT2 BBs in the Peak District then. It would have been an interesting exercise in the mechanical power of faith.

Anyone tried one of those supposedly indestructible ones from RWS, the XD-15 thing? There was a review, I think, on Bikeradar saying they ran one all winter with the seals removed and it was still fine… Mind you at $199 I’d want it to outlast me let alone the bike.

Thanks for the replies.

For the record…

Bottom bracket shell has been chased and faced.
cups torqued into frame correctly.
cranks preload cap done up correctly to.

bike has done two off road rides since fitting and the rest has been riding to work which is about 700m each way!

not lasted long at all really?